Fire's Embrace [Chronicles of the Shifter Directive 6] (Siren Publishing Epic Romance, ManLove)

by Scarlet Hyacinth

  He swirled his tongue over Phoenix’s earlobe as he waited for the reply. His mate didn’t have to vocalize any of it. Imagining it was enough, because Rachen was here to fulfill each and every one’s of Phoenix’s fantasies.

  A slideshow of images flashed through Rachen’s mind as Phoenix reviewed every sensual scenario that he could think of. Just catching glimpses of himself and Phoenix in all those erotic positions made Rachen a little more impatient, so he decided to go ahead and start while Phoenix dwelled on his final decision. But first, because he really couldn’t help himself, he stole a kiss from Phoenix’s beautiful lips.

  He’d meant it for be a brief kiss, but it turned languorous and extensive. Rachen could never get enough of his mate’s delicious taste, so once he got a sample of it, he couldn’t pull away just like that. He had to delve deeper, like an addict needing his fix. And oh, Phoenix was such a sweet and potent addiction. Some people would have said dangerously potent, and maybe he was. At this point, Phoenix had taken over Rachen in every way. Rachen’s dragon, his body and soul craved him. And it would have been scary, except they were true mates, and like Phoenix had said, it went both ways.

  As Rachen swirled his tongue through his lover’s mouth, Phoenix’s arms came around him, his fingers mapping his flesh greedily, yet without rushing. The fantasies rushing through Rachen’s mind’s eye finally began to dissipate, slowly settling into a single one—the two of them kissing gently, tenderly, their bodies entwined on their bed, touching and enjoying each other for hours. It was what Phoenix wanted, to be together, like this, like now. No complicated or elaborated plans, just the two of them, going with the flow, exploring everything their mate bond had to offer, simply loving and existing.

  Smiling against his mate’s lips, Rachen started to do just that, all the while enjoying the feel of Phoenix’s hands on him. Wherever they touched, they left trails of fire behind. But he also loved caressing Phoenix in turn, and he did so without reservation. At first, he just swept his palms over Phoenix’s sides, but that quickly grew insufficient. Even if he’d had every intention to take it slow, he couldn’t help but rub against Phoenix’s body. Their cocks brushed against each other, making Rachen groan in delight.

  For the longest time, they just lay there like that, exchanging lazy but passionate kisses. On occasion, Rachen would move away from Phoenix’s mouth and brush his lips over Phoenix’s eyelids, his cheeks, his chin, and a little lower, over his collarbone and the hollow of his neck. He didn’t go further than that, instead always returning to his mate’s tempting lips.

  It was hard to control the mounting passion between them, but not as hard as Rachen would have once expected. If someone had asked Rachen the day before to put himself in this situation, he’d have likely laughed and said that he didn’t have a chance in holding back where his mate was concerned. Normally, that was completely true, but today, that same intense desire that always flooded all of their encounters had morphed. Instead of being a wild firestorm, it was a rain, soothing them but also stimulating them more and more, perhaps growing fiercer with every second that passed. A summer rain, one of unleashed, vulnerable passions, the only one a fire dragon and a phoenix could understand.

  Just like Rachen had known would happen, their caresses grew gradually bolder, more desperate. Phoenix’s talons dug into Rachen’s shoulders but somehow didn’t break the skin. His need for Rachen was like liquid flame, flowing through their mate bond straight into his blood stream. They hovered at the edge of a cliff neither of them was willing to plunge over just yet. But their passion couldn’t be denied for much longer, and the unavoidable couldn’t be stopped.

  Finally, Rachen pulled away and faced his lover, breathing hard. “I have to be inside you,” he whispered.

  Phoenix closed his eyes in an obvious attempt to focus. He was planning to slick himself up, but Rachen had other plans. “No, don’t. Let me.”

  His mate glanced at him again, licking his lips. “All right. I have to admit that it’s far more entertaining that way.”

  It occurred to Rachen that his mate sounded much too coherent. If, this far into their foreplay, Phoenix could utter four-syllable words, Rachen wasn’t doing his job right. Well, he could fix that soon enough. Already going over all the things he wanted to do to his mate, he flipped his mate on all fours. Of course, whatever plan he might have tried to make flew straight out the window at the first glimpse of the perfect globes of his lover’s ass. Rachen’s mind went blank, and the only think he could focus on was pure need.

  Fortunately, the lingering traces of his reason translated that need into a process, one that would end up heightening the overall sensation, both for himself and for Phoenix. Grinning, Rachen spread his lover’s ass cheeks and licked over Phoenix’s crease. If Phoenix had cried out loudly during the blow job, he practically screamed now. It wasn’t the first time Rachen rimmed Phoenix, but they didn’t do it as often as they should have given Phoenix’s enjoyment of the act.

  Now, Rachen made up for all those moments when he might have fast-forwarded through their foreplay in his zeal to claim his mate. He practically feasted on his mate’s ass, stabbing his tongue into Phoenix’s channel, using it like a tiny cock to stretch his lover. At first, Phoenix tried to hold himself in check, but then, he lost control, too, and started to push back against Rachen, fucking Rachen’s face in earnest.

  Rachen continued to tongue fuck his mate for the longest time, exploring his lover’s most intimate spot, enjoying the way they shared this taboo experience. As he licked over Phoenix’s hole, he focused on their bond, monitoring each of Phoenix’s reactions. The end result was that every time he pushed his slick muscle into Phoenix’s channel, his mate’s pleasure flowed over him like a wave of lava, the strongest aphrodisiac in existence.

  By some miracle, Rachen held on to his resolve and took his time with preparing his mate. When at last he felt that he simply would explode if he didn’t get inside his mate soon, he removed his tongue from his mate’s body and lifted his head. His talons buried into the pillows, Phoenix moaned, “Gods, Rachen…Don’t…Just take me.”

  Rachen had every intention to do that. He reached for the nightstand and quickly found a full tube of lubricant. They’d never actually used it, but it had been a tongue-in-cheek gift from Karein when things had started to settle down in Draechenburg. Rachen had to remember to thank his twin again, for that, and for the way he’d always tried to be on Rachen’s side. But not now. Now was for Rachen and Phoenix.

  Rachen uncapped the tube, poured a generous amount of liquid on his fingers, and liberally spread it over his lover’s hole. Phoenix writhed under him, the fire of his lust now unquenchable. Rachen slid one digit into his mate, then another. Phoenix’s channel accepted them with ease, having already been stretched by the rimming. However, Rachen still took his time. There was special sensuality in just the act of touching his lover like this. He found Phoenix’s prostate and rubbed it mercilessly, barely able to keep himself from coming just at the sensations he himself was causing.

  In the end, he couldn’t hold on for much longer. He removed his fingers from Phoenix’s ass and quickly slicked up his dick. He almost found his peak just at the touch of his own hand, but the need to be inside his mate was stronger. Craving to see Phoenix’s face as he took him, Rachen flipped Phoenix on his back once more. He lifted his lover’s legs on his shoulders and positioned his prick at Phoenix’s opening. Slowly, ever so slowly, he slid inside.

  Phoenix held onto him, his hands as hot as brands on Rachen’s skin. For a few moments, Rachen stilled inside his mate, both for his own benefit, and for Phoenix’s. Their gazes locked and held, and Phoenix smiled, a strikingly sweet and shy twist of his lips. In fact, in spite of the passion roaring through Phoenix and Rachen both, they also experienced something more, a togetherness that went beyond the carnal into a nearly transcendental realm.

  And then, Phoenix nodded and his muscles clenched around Rachen’s dick. He didn’t sp
eak, at least not out loud. His mind was a litany of “yes, oh, yes,” and “gods, please, Rachen,” with variations along the same theme. Rachen couldn’t have resisted that plea if he wanted to. He pulled out of his mate and thrust back in, aiming straight for his lover’s prostate.

  Ecstasy exploded through him, through them both, as he hit his target. Phoenix arched his back and cried out, exposing the pale column of his throat, tempting Rachen to take what was his. Rachen ached to sink his fangs into his mate’s flesh, but it was too soon, far too soon.

  To keep himself from spoiling their lovemaking by rushing, Rachen bit the inside of his cheek. The slight pain did very little to distract him, so Rachen could only let go and surrender to the lust that had been accumulating within him.

  As he started to move, they fell into a rhythm that suited them both perfectly. At first, Rachen just rocked in and out of his mate’s body, keeping the pace slow. Gradually, he increased the speed and force of his thrusts, giving and taking more, accepting the full extent of their desire. All the while, he never looked away from his lover’s beautiful face. Their gazes were always locked, and Rachen simply lost himself in the burning heat in Phoenix’s eyes. Impossibly, the fact that they faced each other like this, with their souls open to one another, made the experience even more intense. Rachen didn’t even know where he ended and Phoenix began. They were united in the most profound and intimate way two men could possibly be, and Rachen never wanted it to end.

  Sadly, nothing quite so perfect could last forever, and all too soon, Rachen felt his climax approaching. He knew Phoenix felt it, too, knew his mate was just as close to coming as Rachen himself was. He just needed that final thing to complete their union. When his mate tilted his head once again, Rachen no longer resisted. Thrusting one last time into his mate’s channel, he bit down on Phoenix’s neck.

  An explosion of emotion and sensation swept over him as sweet and spicy blood flooded his mouth. Overwhelmed by a million different feelings, he came, filling his mate’s channel with his seed. For a while, he actually blacked out, forgoing the real world to one where only the two of them existed.

  He could see the bright glow of Phoenix’s love so clearly now, combining with his own adoration for his mate and enveloping them both in a protective cocoon. “Rachen, just stay with me,” Phoenix whispered through their bond. “Forever.”

  “Forever,”Rachen confirmed.

  It was a promise he had every intention to keep. He didn’t know what had urged his mate to mention it in the first place, but it seemed like the natural progression of their lovemaking. Well, no. There was something else Rachen wanted to do, something that had been niggling him for quite a while now.

  The moment he pulled out of his mate, he took a deep breath and blurted out, “Marry me.”

  It wasn’t by rights the most well-organized or romantic proposal. They were both sweaty, dizzy, tired, and smelling of sex. A few seconds after he said the words, Rachen wished he’d prepared a little more. Phoenix would have likely appreciated it if the two of them had been somewhere in the wild, feeling the wind ruffling through their hair and the energy of the earth under their naked feet.

  But Phoenix didn’t seem to care about all that. Releasing an enthusiastic cry, he wrapped his arms around Rachen’s neck. “Yes. Gods, yes.”

  As he held Phoenix, Rachen smiled. Perhaps it had been the right choice after all. In the end, they were fire creatures. What better way to propose their union than to follow their passions and their impulses?

  In that moment, Rachen truly felt happy and at peace. He knew their wedding wouldn’t be at once and they still had to solve the countless problems with the sprites and the avians, but he had faith that they could do it. Through the power of their love, they could do anything.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Rachen and Phoenix spent almost the entire night making love, exploring each other in every way they could. Morning arrived too soon, at least in Phoenix’s opinion. He didn’t want to leave the bed ever again. In fact, he’d have much preferred to stay in his lover’s arms forever and not bother with the rest of the world.

  Sadly, Rachen was quite convinced that he needed to look into the avians’ plans himself. At a far too early hour, the dragon slipped out of the bed, leaving Phoenix alone under the sheets. Phoenix couldn’t help but sulk as he watched his lover get dressed and ready for the day. “Do you really have to go?” he asked, curling into the blanket to seek out the lingering traces of Rachen’s heat. “Lieutenant Zager is more than capable of handling everything.”

  “Yes, he is,” Rachen answered, “but I’m the one with the most interest in your welfare. You’re everything to me, baby, and I won’t take any chances with your safety. Besides, I’m the one who met up with Ferradul Cyraltin. I should have paid more attention then. I know that now. I have a responsibility toward Ornoz, but most of all, toward you, to fix that.”

  Phoenix didn’t think his mate had made any mistakes where he was concerned, but he knew better than to try to argue with Rachen. “Fair enough,” Phoenix replied absently. He couldn’t fully pay attention to the conversation, because he was distracted by the sight of his mate’s naked form. It was only when Rachen pulled on a pair of pants that he finally managed to focus long enough to provide a solution to the situation. “But, you know, I’m safest at your side. I can very well come with you.”

  Rachen started to protest, obviously about to enter his protective mode. “Baby, I—”

  Phoenix pushed off the blankets, exposing his naked body to Rachen’s gaze. “Come on, Rachen,” he whispered, interrupting his mate. “Come kiss me one more time, and then both we’ll go to meet with Lieutenant Zager.”

  Both of them knew that if Rachen kissed him, they’d never stop there. Even so, Rachen walked to the bed, glancing at Phoenix as if hypnotized. Without a word, he crawled on top of Phoenix and pressed their mouths together.

  Much later, Rachen rummaged through his wardrobe to find a uniform to replace the one that had been destroyed earlier. Phoenix felt pretty smug and happy with himself. Well, actually, he felt well fucked, even a little sore after all the sex. But it was a good sore, one which Phoenix could have easily healed if he’d wanted to. He had no intentions of doing so, because he liked it. This way, he could almost imagine that Rachen was still inside him, spearing him with that hot, thick dick. Oh, it had been so good, so perfect that…

  “Would you stop thinking about that, please?” Rachen’s voice was pained and his eyes hot as he glanced at Phoenix. “How can I focus on anything else but needing you when your desires are bombarding me?”

  Phoenix would have asked his mate what was even wrong with that, but he respected his lover’s wish to get involved in securing Draechenburg. And so, he pressed a kiss to his mate’s cheek and proceeded to get dressed, too.

  A few minutes later, they left their quarters, walking hand in hand as they always did these days. They found Sage pretty quickly, in the barracks with Karein and James Connors. The benandanti must have decided that, as an unknown factor, the avians were dangerous enough to warrant some preparations from his part, too.

  “Good morning, Rachen, Phoenix,” Karein greeted them. “It looks like our scouts have spotted signs of avians approaching Draechenburg. However, the intruders retreated when they realized their presence had been detected.”

  Phoenix didn’t know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Their foes were unlikely to give up just like that. In fact, Phoenix was fairly certain that the avians would try again and again, until they had him under their control once more.

  Oddly enough, the thought didn’t fill with dread any longer. He found that his good mood lingered, in spite of the memories that the mere mentioning of avians always brought to his mind. After the night before, he was convinced that he was stronger than them. No, he and Rachen were stronger.

  “They’ll return,” he said, “but I think that when they do, we’ll be ready for them.”

  “In the
meantime, Your Highness,” James Connors said, “I’ve been thinking about this so-called weapon they could have against you. I imagine that, if it is powerful enough to be a danger for a being with your abilities, it might affect dragons or magical creatures, too.”

  “Well, not necessarily,” Phoenix replied. “My nature is different than theirs, because I was originally a creature of pure energy. To be perfectly honest, I can’t imagine what they could have come up with.”

  “Perhaps I could give you some idea,” James offered, “if you’d like to come with me to my lab.”

  Phoenix exchanged a look with Rachen. He was reluctant to leave Rachen’s side, but he had to admit that James Connors had a point. As much as Phoenix trusted the defenses of Draechenburg, some additional information was always useful. The benandanti’s assistance could prevent anyone from being hurt unnecessarily.

  “Very well,” he replied, “but I’m not sure what kind of help I can provide. Last time, it didn’t go over that well.”

  “True, but we didn’t approach the issue correctly.” James smiled slightly. “After all, how could someone stick a syringe into energy? But I think I’ve come up with a noninvasive procedure that could give us a clue on the real nature of your physical form, and on what the avians might plan if they are aware of it.”

  “Is this dangerous?” Rachen asked, sounding concerned. “I don’t like the idea of Phoenix undergoing any sort of…procedure.”

  “Well, if you like, you can come along,” James answered. “It’s actually not dangerous at all. To tell you the truth, I’m not even sure it will work given your mate’s unique abilities. But you never know until you try.”

  “You’re right, of course,” Phoenix answered. “I’m up for it if you think it would help.”

  After all, he couldn’t imagine any medical examination hurting him in any way, and if it did, he would be able to tell. Rachen didn’t seem so convinced. “I want to see an example of how this process would work first.”